616 research outputs found
U-Pb Ages of Lunar Apatites
Apatite is one of the minerals that is rarely utilized in U-Pb geochronology, compared to some other U-rich accessory phases. Relatively low U concentration, commonly high proportion of common Pb and low closure temperature of U-Pb system of apatite inhibit its application as geochronological tool when other minerals such as zircon are widely available. However, zircon appear to be restricted to certain type of lunar rocks, carrying so called KREEP signature, whereas apatite (and whitlockite) is a common accessory mineral in the lunar samples. Therefore, utilizing apatite for lunar chronology may increase the pool of rocks that are available for U-Pb dating. The low stability of U-Pb systematics of apatite may also result in the resetting of the system during meteoritic bombardment, in which case apatite may provide an additional tool for the study of the impact history of the Moon. In order to investigate these possibilities, we have analysed apatites and zircons from two breccia samples collected during the Apollo 14 mission. Both samples were collected within the Fra Mauro formation, which is interpreted as a material ejected during the impact that formed the Imbrium Basin
Heavy Isotope Composition of Oxygen in Zircon from Soil Sample 14163: Lunar Perspective of an Early Ocean on the Earth
Thirty oxygen analyses of a large (sub-millimetre) zircon grain from the lunar soil sample 14163 have been determined using CAMECA 1270 ion microprobe. The sample 14163 was returned form the Fra Mauro region by Apollo 14 mission. Zircon grain of 0.6-0.8 mm in size extracted from the sample was imaged using CL detector fitted to the Philips Electron Microscope in order to reveal internal structure. Oxygen isotopes have been analysed during two sessions. The first set of data was collected using the original mount where the grain was set in the resin attached to the glass slide. This resulted in the two complications: (i) standard zircon has to be analysed from the separate mount and (ii) the lunar zircon grain was rased in the holder compared to the standard. In order to investigate, if the elevated oxygen compositions observed during this session could have resulted from this difference in geometric configuration during the standard and sample analyses, the lunar zircon was extracted from the original mount, remounted with the standard chip in the new resin disk and reanalysed during the second session. All analyses made during the first session show delta O-18 values heavier than 6.0%. The second set of data has a wider spread of delta O-18 values with some values as low as 5.6%. Nevertheless, a half of observed delta O-18 values in this set is also higher than 6.0%. Slightly lighter oxygen compositions observed during the second session indicate possible dependence of measured delta O-18 values on the geometry of analysed samples. Presence of zircons with similar heavy oxygen isotope compositions on the Moon, which neither had liquid water or felic crust similar to that on the Earth nor ever developed regime similar to plate tectonics, suggests that other mechanisms can be responsible for elevated delta O-18 values in zircons. This implies that there is no support for the presence of an ocean on the surface of the early Earth and as the ocean appears to be an essential ingredient for the plate tectonics, there is no basis for belief that this mechanism was operating in the early history of the planet
Deliberating stratospheric aerosols for climate geoengineering and the SPICE project
Increasing concerns about the narrowing window for averting dangerous climate change have prompted calls for research into geoengineering, alongside dialogue with the public regarding this as a possible response. We report results of the first public engagement study to explore the ethics and acceptability of stratospheric aerosol technology and a proposed field trial (the Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (SPICE) ‘pipe and balloon’ test bed) of components for an aerosol deployment mechanism. Although almost all of our participants were willing to allow the field trial to proceed, very few were comfortable with using stratospheric aerosols. This Perspective also discusses how these findings were used in a responsible innovation process for the SPICE project initiated by the UK’s research councils
Temperature dependence of the electron spin g factor in GaAs
The temperature dependence of the electron spin factor in GaAs is
investigated experimentally and theoretically. Experimentally, the factor
was measured using time-resolved Faraday rotation due to Larmor precession of
electron spins in the temperature range between 4.5 K and 190 K. The experiment
shows an almost linear increase of the value with the temperature. This
result is in good agreement with other measurements based on photoluminescence
quantum beats and time-resolved Kerr rotation up to room temperature. The
experimental data are described theoretically taking into account a diminishing
fundamental energy gap in GaAs due to lattice thermal dilatation and
nonparabolicity of the conduction band calculated using a five-level kp model.
At higher temperatures electrons populate higher Landau levels and the average
factor is obtained from a summation over many levels. A very good
description of the experimental data is obtained indicating that the observed
increase of the spin factor with the temperature is predominantly due to
band's nonparabolicity.Comment: 6 pages 4 figure
Erratum:Suppression of D'yakonov-Perel spin relaxation in InAs and InSb by n-type doping at 300 K (Applied Physics Letters (2003) 83 (5220))
General boundary conditions for the envelope function in multiband k.p model
We have derived general boundary conditions (BC) for the multiband envelope
functions (which do not contain spurious solutions) in semiconductor
heterostructures with abrupt heterointerfaces. These BC require the
conservation of the probability flux density normal to the interface and
guarantee that the multiband Hamiltonian be self--adjoint. The BC are energy
independent and are characteristic properties of the interface. Calculations
have been performed of the effect of the general BC on the electron energy
levels in a potential well with infinite potential barriers using a coupled two
band model. The connection with other approaches to determining BC for the
envelope function and to the spurious solution problem in the multiband k.p
model are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev. B 65, March 15
issue 200
Differentiating normal and problem gambling: a grounded theory approach.
A previous study (Ricketts & Macaskill, 2003) delineated a theory of problem gambling based on the experiences of treatment seeking male gamblers and allowed predictions to be made regarding the processes that differentiate between normal and problem gamblers. These predictions are the focus of the present study, which also utilised a grounded theory approach, but with a sample of male high frequency normal gamblers. The findings suggest that there are common aspects of gambling associated with arousal and a sense of achievement. The use of gambling to manage negative emotional states differentiated normal and problem gambling. Perceived self-efficacy , emotion management skills and perceived likelihood of winning money back were intervening variables differentiating problem and normal gamblers.</p
Geochronology (Re–Os and U–Pb) and fluid inclusion studies of molybdenite mineralisation associated with the Shap, Skiddaw and Weardale granites, UK
Spin sensitive bleaching and monopolar spin orientation in quantum wells
Spin sensitive bleaching of the absorption of far-infrared radiation has been
observed in -type GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well structures. The absorption of
circularly polarized radiation saturates at lower intensities than that of
linearly polarized light due to monopolar spin orientation in the first heavy
hole subband. Spin relaxation times of holes in -type material in the range
of tens of ps were derived from the intensity dependence of the absorption.Comment: Figures have been updated due to technical printing problems
(Postscript mismatch
Hole diffusion profile in a p-p+ silicon homojunction determined by terahertz and midinfrared spectroscopic ellipsometry
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